Full Record

Title

The Lucie Rie Archive at the Crafts Study Centre

Collection

LR

Artist

Sophie Heath

Description

This illustrated web-essay is an introduction to the Lucie Rie Archive at the Crafts Study Centre. The contents of this substantial resource and its potential for the study of this acclaimed potter are surveyed in six sections illustrated with over 60 images from the Archive. Topics covered in the essay include the provenance of the Archive, the types of documentary material it contains, possible directions for research, and significant omissions in the records. Photographs, correspondence, order books, and exhibition ephemera are used to investigate recurring themes in the primary evidence such as Rie´s dedication to her craft, and the contrast between her early life in Vienna and her post-war career in Britain. Lucie Rie (1902-95) is one of the most celebrated figures in British studio pottery and her archive at the Crafts Study Centre is a crucial resource for her life and work. This web-essay makes available online a comprehensive overview of its varied contents and the many illustrations give a strong visual sense of the evidence available. Each image has a detailed caption providing specific technical and historical information.